RSS Feedhttp://10.40.239.129/blogs/rss-feed/Blog RSS Feeden{8CA48647-CE49-4474-AD42-D68BF71135B6}http://10.40.239.129/blogs/2014/05/real-life-scenario-do-you-take-the-cookie/Real Life Scenario: Do you Take the Cookie?<p>You&rsquo;re at a meeting at work, it&rsquo;s 3 o&rsquo;clock, and the cookie or dessert tray is being passed &ndash; what do you do?</p>
<p>a) Take a cookie, of course! The only decision here is if you go for a second&hellip;</p>
<p>b) Sit there for the entire hour meeting stressing about whether or not you should have the cookie. &nbsp;You end the meeting having no idea what the meeting actually was about, and on your way out end up grabbing a cookie because you can&rsquo;t resist</p>
<p>c) Eat your strawberry nonfat yogurt, feel satisfied, and participate in the engaging meeting you&rsquo;re attending (well, ideally speaking)</p>
<p>The answer is C.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Here&rsquo;s a tip &ndash; if you arm yourself with healthy and satisfying snacks, you will be much less tempted to snack on other treats lying around the home or office. So be sure to have healthy options available &ndash; pack &amp; plan accordingly!</p>Fri, 16 May 2014 00:00:00 -0600{109AD0B2-7060-4ABC-AEC9-6DEE4DEDB131}http://10.40.239.129/blogs/2014/05/my-heart-challenge-contestant-finds-motivation-and-success/My Heart Challenge Contestant Finds Motivation and Success<p><em>She writes,</em></p>
<p>The day the My Heart Challenge began, I had my husband take a picture of me holding a tape measure around my waist. At the time, I was thinking a couple of inches off would be a good thing. I had read that a thick middle can lead to heart problems and in all honesty, I thought this would be an easy success story to submit to the My Heart Challenge competition. When I saw what the measurement was, I cried.<br />
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I realized at that moment there was no more time for talking about going back to the gym, no more excuses, no more time to procrastinate, it had to be now! I want to be around to watch my grandchildren grow up!<br />
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Since then, and thanks to the My Heart Challenge, I&rsquo;ve been running or cycling every day with the exception of Sunday; that&rsquo;s the day I just walk to give my body a break. I&rsquo;ve also stopped looking at the scale except for the weekly check&ndash;in. I&rsquo;ve even moved it out to the mudroom so there&rsquo;s less temptation. &nbsp;<br />
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My husband has been extremely supportive. We eat healthier and he&rsquo;s started exercising. I&rsquo;m happy to report that my waist currently measures quite a bit less and I&rsquo;m still going!<br />
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Now, not only am I becoming healthier and getting a step closer to watching my grandchildren grow up, I can be a positive example for each of them. My children and grandchildren will be joining me for a Color Run in Ventura, California (that is where they live) this October. That&rsquo;s my definition of success!<br />
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<strong>My Goldilocks Success Story</strong><br />
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The sky was grey on this cold, windy and rainy morning as we rolled out from the starting line&hellip;&hellip;<br />
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On May 10, I was fortunate enough to join several friends on the Goldilocks Bike Ride. I had committed to myself to complete the 40 mile route (60 if the weather was decent). The morning of the ride, I was completely unsure I would be able to reach my goal. However, thanks to the encouragement of these wonderful women, my husband, and especially my friend Charlotte, I was able to reach that goal.<br />
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The weather had been looking good up until the day before the event. Then came the prediction of rain making this a more ominous task for a beginner. The wind blew in strong gusts and the rain was very cold. Trying to ride up hill in the wind and rain was a bigger challenge than just trying to conquer a hill. At one point I started counting the pedal rotations so that I wouldn&rsquo;t look up to see how far I was from the top and talk myself into walking up the hill or just quitting.&nbsp;<br />
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Then came the downhill ride, and what I thought would be an easy glide for at least little while. You know it&rsquo;s windy when you&rsquo;re going downhill and you have to pedal to stay upright!<br />
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Finally, there it was, the FINISH LINE!!!! There is absolutely nothing quite like the feeling of crossing that finish line, knowing that you&rsquo;ve reached your goal.<br />
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</p>Thu, 15 May 2014 00:00:00 -0600{ABB27C0B-50F2-4FD3-AA31-86C5A7BA845D}http://10.40.239.129/blogs/2014/05/better-heart-health-means-more-birthdays/Better Heart Health Means More Birthdays... and That&#39;s a Good Thing<div><em>He wrote,</em></div>
<p>So there I was, cruising along with the first half of the competition under my belt, doing extremely well with my diet and exercise program and boom&hellip; birthday weekend. So I turned 40 a few days ago, something I never dreamed I would actually make it too as a young, punk kid. Having a &ldquo;special birthday year&rdquo; I decided to have a fun week of a few parties (a few too many adult beverages), a trip to the casino (and the evil buffet), and relaxing a bit (taking a break from exercising). I am not going to lie, I had a little set back that week, gaining back two pounds, but I think it was worth it to have a little break.</p>
<p>Looking at my life and turning the big four-O, I have realized how important this opportunity of the My Heart Challenge is in order for me to reach other birthday milestones like 50 or 60. Being overweight, having high blood pressure and having a disastrous family history of everything from diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol and cancer, I definitely needed a change in my life.</p>
<p>Having the ability to learn and make healthy lifestyle choices has been a great blessing. Any behavioral and or lifestyle changes are not easy to accomplish; in fact it is downright hard to be honest. But like me, sometimes it is hard to get that spark or reality check needed to start the change. I never took advantage of the resources available via the internet or websites, healthy living insurance programs or even Peer Assistance Programs that were readily available. All I can say is if you have a resource available; try to take advantage of it!</p>
<p>Well, now that I am refocused and ready for the second half of the challenge, I am eager to see what further progress I can make. I have already done so much more than I thought I could accomplish, and I am ready to do even better in the weeks to come. Good luck to all my fellow firefighters, the My Heart Challenge: Play at Home contestants and to anyone else out there who has made the choice to change their life for the better. Keep up the great work, don&rsquo;t let the little road bumps derail or stop you, and of course stay on track with your continued healthy life.</p>Fri, 09 May 2014 00:00:00 -0600{494DFED5-2C2C-4F7F-8FEE-4BA5A3E47C29}http://10.40.239.129/blogs/2014/05/drinking-water-is-vital-for-better-heart-health/Drinking Water is Vital for Better Heart Health<p>Water can help prevent us from feeling tired and lethargic which is what happens when we are dehydrated. As spring starts turning to summer, it's important for everyone to assure they are getting the right amount of water each day. But sometimes it can be a tricky task.</p>
<p>Here are a few tips you can use to try and increase your fluid intake:</p>
&nbsp;- Add berries, cucumber slices, or lemon/lime slices to water to add a delicious and calorie-free flavor<br />
&nbsp;- Have a goal to drink 8-16 ounces of water with meals<br />
&nbsp;- Have a goal to drink 8-16 ounces in between meals<br />
&nbsp;- Carry a water bottle around with you wherever you go so you always have water accessible
<p>Here's a great article -&nbsp;<a href="http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/6-reasons-to-drink-water" target="_blank">6 reasons to drink water</a>&nbsp;- that you can check out for additional information on how water plays a key role in better health for your whole body.&nbsp;</p>Fri, 09 May 2014 00:00:00 -0600{DDBED3BF-E6A0-42B9-BD5B-EF8865AC9B27}http://10.40.239.129/blogs/2014/04/the-secret-to-enjoying-exercise-find-something-you-enjoy/The Secret to Enjoying Exercise: Find Something you Like<p><em>Kelly Kline writes:</em></p>
<p>I have decided that one of the most important things I have had to do in terms of a more heart-healthy lifestyle is to find an exercise that I enjoy. I know I need to exercise, but if I am not enjoying myself, I won't make the effort to get it done. Last year I started riding the recumbent bicycle in order to protect my knees (I currently am dealing with PMR). It was easier on my knees, and I was losing weight. I enjoyed going to the gym!</p>
<p>After a while, I flat lined in terms of weight loss. I heard about Zumba from a retired friend of mine. I thought, "No way! &nbsp;If she can do that, then I can do that!" I started Zumba last summer and have loved it. The instructors at The Cottonwood Recreation Center are patient, encouraging, and do not expect my arthritis ridden body to keep up with them. They encourage us to modify moves in order to keep moving without causing injury and pain.</p>
<p>As we all know, our bodies are still in charge and I have flatlined again in my weight loss. That is why I decided to join this 100-day My Heart Challenge; hoping for a jump start of some kind. In the last few weeks, my daughter has encouraged me to try a different type of exercise in addition to what I am already doing, to see if that will help me start losing weight again. Her suggestion was her passion: Spin Class. &nbsp;She loves the dark room, loud music, and the intense work out. I got the padded seat, signed up for bike 19 at The Cottonwood Recreation Center and was ready to go. Doug, the instructor, met with me before and helped me set up my bike correctly. That put me at ease.</p>
<p>Well, 60 minutes later my sit-bones were killing me and my knees were screaming. I know that I need to give it a few more tries before I throw in the towel. I could learn to enjoy Spin. I just need to stick out the initial pain!</p>
<p>I love taking my dog for a 30 minute walk about the nearby cemetery. It gets me outside, gets her outside, and lifts my spirits. It is not going to cause huge weight loss, but I know that my positive attitude towards exercise is just as important as the exercise itself. &nbsp;</p>
<p>So, bottom line, <strong>my advice for a heart healthy lifestyle is to find ways to exercise that you are passionate about</strong>. That way you exercise because you WANT to, not because you want to see weight loss, or because your doctor told you to, but to lift your spirits, clear your head, and help your heart along the way.</p>Tue, 29 Apr 2014 00:00:00 -0600{5A53E770-D50E-4781-BFB9-046D7BCE1D7D}http://10.40.239.129/blogs/2014/04/find-the-healthy-option-at-fast-food-restaurants/Find the Healthy Option at Fast Food Restaurants<p>Take a look at the three breakfast meals in the photo above. Which one would you be more likely to order? Now guess which one is most healthy. Here's a rundown of the three meals shown:</p>
<p><strong>A</strong> - Fruit &amp; yogurt parfait + Egg White Delight = 400 kcal, 14% of your daily fat recommended for the day<br />
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<strong>B </strong>- Sausage Burrito + hash brown, lowfat milk = 550 kcal, 43% of your daily fat recommended for the day<br />
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<strong>C </strong>- Big Breakfast with Hotcakes, Large Biscuit = 1150 kcal, 93% of your daily fat recommended for the day</p>
<p>Ninety-three percent of your daily fat recommendation in a single breakfast! Wow!! This is just a small example of finding the more healthy options when eating out. But here are a few other tips you might find helpful:</p>
<ul>
<li>Always look ahead at the menu &ndash; look at calories, total fat/saturated fat, and sodium especially</li>
<li>Aim for plate method when you order &ndash; &frac12; of what you order should be fruits &amp; vegetables, &frac14; should be whole grain (when possible), &frac14; should be lean protein options (chicken, fish, turkey, beans, etc.)</li>
<li>Look for key words indicating healthier cooking methods = grilled, broiled, steamed, roasted</li>
<li>Avoid words indicating higher fat cooking methods = fried, battered, buttered, smothered</li>
<li>Get sauces/dips/dressings on the side. &nbsp;For salad dressing see if they have lower calorie options</li>
<li>Don&rsquo;t be overly hungry when you order! We are much less likely to make healthier choices. &nbsp;Get a little protein snack before you go to take the edge off, like a lowfat string cheese</li>
<li>Wrap up half of your entr&eacute;e before you start &ndash; out of sight, out of mind</li>
</ul>
<br />Tue, 29 Apr 2014 00:00:00 -0600{C3130AA9-2280-48DA-9FD7-3174CAA7EBCA}http://10.40.239.129/blogs/2014/04/arm-and-shoulder-exercises-with-minimal-equipment/Arm and Shoulder Exercises with Minimal Equipment<p>Lets start with some dips to build your triceps. You can do dips using almost any stable surface - the bottom of your stairs, some paint cans, a steady chair, etc. In the video below, I demonstrate this exercise and how it can be done at the bottom of some stairs.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Next, we'll do a wall push up. It's pretty much the same concept as your traditional push up, and there are some variations you can do with it as well to make it more challenging.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The final part of this circuit are lateral raises. You can use soup cans, free weights, etc. I demonstrate a few variations of this exercise, each one targeting a different portion of the upper arm and shoulder.&nbsp;</p>
<p>I always recommend doing a five minute warmup before starting any circuit. This can be as simple as going on a brisk walk to help loosen up your muscles and get your heart pumping.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;- 8-10 dips</p>
<p>&nbsp;- Rest for 10-30 seconds</p>
<p>&nbsp;- 8-10 wall pushups</p>
<p>&nbsp;- Rest for 10-30 seconds</p>
<p>&nbsp;- 8-10 lateral raises</p>
<p>&nbsp;- Rest of 30-60 seconds</p>
<p>&nbsp;- Repeat the circuit (this is where you can add variations to something like the wall pushups or lateral raises, as demonstrated in the video below)</p>
<p>
<iframe width="853" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/8y4hnls7bfQ" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>Fri, 25 Apr 2014 00:00:00 -0600{D1B42259-2BBF-4521-BE0B-001CF26D573C}http://10.40.239.129/blogs/2014/04/heart-healthy-advice-from-the-play-at-home-contestants/Heart-healthy Advice from the Play at Home ContestantsJust to take it one day at a time, one meal at a time, one snack at a time. &nbsp;And the more we do good on our eating, good habits will form. And before you know it, the cravings will be gone for the sugar stuff. &nbsp;And keep moving...<strong>moving is just as important as the food we eat.</strong> I am actually looking forward to my exercises each day. I have myself on an schedule, that I really enjoy doing them now. &nbsp;That has not always been the case. &nbsp;I still haven't lost anymore weight, but, I am feeling stronger. On Saturday, my husband and I went for what I thought was going to be an easy hike for him. &nbsp;It was to Ensign Peak. &nbsp;The last time I went there, I don't remember it being so steep. But, we made it. And I didn't think it was that bad. A couple of months ago, it may have been a different story. Can't wait for the next hike!&nbsp;<br />
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It's not easy to make healthy choices if your cupboard is full of chips, candy, and cookies. <strong>Go through the cupboards and get rid of it!</strong>&nbsp;When you go shopping, always shop the perimeter, that's where the healthy choices are stocked, then go through the middle. Always remember to read the labels! Also, breakfast is truly the most important meal of the day. If you can eat a healthy breakfast, then try to eat a small snack about every three hours, you'll find that you're not starving around 2:00pm and search out the vending machines. However, the worst thing you can do is deprive yourself. I've found that if I allow myself one small treat a week, I won't binge. For example, I have a piece of candy on my desk at work. If I really, really, feel I need to have a treat I allow myself that one piece of candy and it satisfies the craving. Most important, don't beat yourself up if you slip and don't try to make up a slip by starving yourself. &nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
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<strong>Don't be too hard on yourself.</strong>&nbsp;If you slip up then just shake it off and strive to do better the next day. Set small goals like losing 2 lbs a week so that you don't become discourage and try to workout and get healthy with a friend because having someone to work out with makes it easier to maintain and stick to your goals.<br />
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My advice to eat more heart health choices would be to be sure to get plenty of fruits and vegetables in throughout the day (5-8 servings). &nbsp;<strong>Sometimes, you have to pass up a cookie and eat an apple</strong> but when I do, I think, "wow, this apple tastes really good, even better than the cookie would have tasted!".<br />
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I would say <strong>eat a lot more vegetables and fruits and a lot less sugar, fat, and carbs</strong>. I would also say to exercise at least 30 minutes 5 days a week and drink at least 64 oz of water daily.<br />
<p><strong>My advice would be to stay strong.</strong> We are around holidays and sometimes we will slip up and have a cookie or cupcake or Easter egg. But just because you have one, doesn't mean you throw the entire day away...just work out a little more so that the treat was a reward.</p>
Don't give up. It takes some work and some days will be better than others. <strong>Just keep trying and do the best you can.</strong> Make sure you educate yourself, track your food and exercise and be honest about what you eat. If you have that slice of pizza you're craving, it's not the end of the world.&nbsp;<br />
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Don&rsquo;t try to lose weight in a hurry, it does not stay off. <strong>A long steady loss is more likely to stick</strong> as you &ldquo;reset your drives&rdquo;.<br />
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Give yourself a break. &nbsp;<strong>When you fall down, get back up</strong>. &nbsp;Just because you made one poor choice does not mean you are doomed to making poor choices. &nbsp;Last week I learned that I need to "Recognize it, Own it, and then Overcome it". &nbsp;It doesn't matter what the "it" is. &nbsp;Recognize that we have weaknesses, embrace the fact that this is where you are now, and set a plan to overcome it. &nbsp;<br />
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<strong>JUST STICK TO IT! </strong>In the first few weeks of this challenge, I have wanted to eat all of the unhealthy things that I used to eat all the time. My family is knows that I am trying to live better, but they still tempt me with the unhealthy choices that I told myself that I would not eat. Even though I feel like I am doing this challenge alone, I am getting so motivated seeing myself drop pounds like never before just because I am sticking to my plan. I&rsquo;m finding that I am making better food choices, exercising more, and that I am just happier because it is good for me and I am becoming healthier. So, my advice to anyone and everyone: Just Stick to It.<br />
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My advice to others is <strong>make sure you have healthy snacks on hand </strong>and try to plan your day to make sure you are eating when you should. You don't want the hunger to sneak up on you when you are walking by the free cookies at the pharmacy. Also that one mistake doesn't mean you can't eat good for the rest of the day.&nbsp;<br />
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<strong>Don't be afraid to try new things</strong>, sometimes the weirdest combinations taste the best, and use lots of seasonings but avoid the salt!
<p>Changing habits is hard to do. &nbsp;<strong>Just keep reminding yourself of the end result.</strong></p>Tue, 22 Apr 2014 00:00:00 -0600{BE1BF2BF-44E4-4ACB-8F34-D268D72D5572}http://10.40.239.129/blogs/2014/04/upper-body-exercise-circuit-you-can-do-at-home/Upper-body Exercise Circuit you can do at Home<p class="p1">If you have resistance tubes or bands, those would be great. Free weights would work as well.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Here's the circuit you can follow:</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;- 8-10 Biceps curls</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;- Rest 10-30 seconds</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;- 8-10 Triceps extensions</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;- Rest 10-30 seconds</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;- 8-10 Shoulder presses</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;- Rest 10-30 seconds</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;- 8-10 Upright rows</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>Rest 30-60 seconds before repeating the circuit. Do 2-3 sets.</strong></p>
<p class="p1">In this short video, I demonstrate each of the exercises so you can see the proper way to do them.&nbsp;</p>
<iframe width="853" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/u2ICyJiWMik" frameborder="0"></iframe>Fri, 18 Apr 2014 00:00:00 -0600{1A68EFCF-D761-4D45-9441-D7B531CF3FD5}http://10.40.239.129/blogs/2014/04/how-to-grocery-shop-for-better-heart-health/How to Grocery Shop for Better Heart Health<p>Let's say you&rsquo;re at the grocery store to buy groceries for the week, and you see lots of samples of unhealthy foods like sausage and cheeses. What do you do?</p>
<p>A: Taste the samples, then decide to buy the products. &nbsp;You end up leaving the store without any other food items for the week, forgetting the purpose of the trip</p>
<p>B: Snack on the samples, and grab anything else to put in your cart that looks good at the moment</p>
<p>C: Maybe try a sample, or maybe you don (because you just ate a healthy &amp; satisfying snack). &nbsp;You proceed to talk down the aisles buying what you wrote down on your list</p>
<p>The correct answer is C. It might seem like an easy decision right now, but when you're in the grocery store, the habit of A and B may reign.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Here are some tips you can use to help you avoid falling for A and B.</p>
<p>1: If we go to the grocery store hungry, we are much more likely to buy more than what we need</p>
<p>2: If we plan out our meals and make a grocery list, we are much more likely to buy the healthy foods we are trying to eat.</p>
<p>3: When we have a grocery list, we tend to have less impulse buys and can save a lot of money on our grocery bills</p>
<p>I recently took Marc West, firefighters with Unified Fire Authority and one of the 15 My Heart Challenge contestants, to a grocery store to share some additional tips and talk through a grocery shopping trip. Check out this video so you can get more tips to make your next grocery shopping trip more heart healthy. You can also <a href="http://youtu.be/geJg0SgCW8E" target="_blank">watch a webcast</a> I hosted on grocery shopping tips and eating on the go, which provided even more tips you can easily implement. &nbsp;</p>
<iframe width="853" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/FDs-FUfri1c" frameborder="0"></iframe>
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</p>Fri, 18 Apr 2014 00:00:00 -0600